Datuk Saarani Mohamad has officially replaced Bersatu’s Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu as Perak Menteri Besar (MB) following the latter’s resignation on Saturday, 5 December

The Perak Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, who is also Kota Tampan the assemblyman, was sworn in as the 14th Perak MB at Istana Iskandariah in Kuala Kangsar today, 10 December, reported New Straits Times.

Saarani took his oath of office before the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, at 11.20am.

Saarani was appointed as the new MB after almost a week-long political crisis in Perak when Faizal failed to garner enough votes of confidence in the state legislative assembly on 4 December

The state has 59 assembly seats. UMNO holds 25 seats, Bersatu five, PAS three, Gerakan one, and independent one.

Pakatan Harapan (PH) commands 24 seats, with DAP holding 16 seats, Amanah five, and PKR three.

A simple majority of 30 seats is needed to form the new state government.

In a vote of no-confidence last Friday, Faizal only received 10 votes in support of him, while 48 voted against him and one abstention, reported The Star.

Following which, a tussle for power emerged among Perikatan Nasional (PN) members

Throughout the week, Sultan Nazrin summoned political leaders — including party leaders from PH — in the state to hear their stance regarding the appointment of a new MB.

However, all political leaders in the state failed to convince Sultan Nazrin on who commanded majority support.

At one point, even Perak DAP chairman Nga Kor Ming said his party was ready to work with UMNO and other parties to form a multi-racial state government.

The invitation was rejected, although UMNO mooted the idea to cooperate with two other component parties in PH, namely PKR and Amanah.

Geostrategist Professor Dr Azmi Hassan is of the opinion that the political stalemate came to an end after each party in PN realised they needed each other to stay in power in the state.

Last night, former Perak MB Faizal also congratulated his successor for being appointed as the new MB in a Facebook post, an act that can be seen as a display of goodwill and graciousness.

In retrospect, Universiti Malaya (UM) sociopolitical analyst Professor Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said while the political crisis in Perak has ended, it will likely serve as a lesson to the federal government led by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, reported New Straits Times.

“Bersatu must ensure that state governments are helmed by parties that command the majority number of seats in the state assembly. Their voices cannot be neglected,” he contended.

“If PN tries to isolate UMNO in the current political dynamic, UMNO will move to align itself with the PH component parties.”

Two months ago, speculation was rife that the country was going to declare an emergency as a means to stop counter-coup attempts to topple the PN government:

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